When India walks out to bat at the Eden Gardens in the first Test against South Africa, the spotlight will be on a 26-year-old all-rounder who has made a career out of doing whatever the team asks of him.
Washington Sundar, representing Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, is set to bat at No. 3, after India dropped Sai Sudharsan to accommodate four spinners – one frontline and three spin all-rounders – in the Playing 11 vs South Africa.
For a player who has never batted at No. 3 in his young Test career, and has occupied nearly every position from 5 to 9, this marks a dramatic shift. But behind the move lies Sundar’s long-held belief that he is, at heart, a top-order batter.
A role Sundar has long sought: “I consider myself a top-order batter”
Sundar’s rise to No. 3 in Test cricket is not an overnight experiment. It is a journey that began in domestic cricket and culminated in a defining knock — his 152 against Delhi in the 2024 Ranji Trophy, batting at No. 3, a performance that earned him a national recall.
After that innings, Sundar spoke openly about his ambitions:
“I definitely consider myself a top-order batter… I’m very happy with the opportunity to bat at No. 3. For me, the important thing is to do whatever the team demands.”
That clarity of ambition now seems to align with India’s tactical boldness.
Gautam Gambhir, speaking before the South Africa series, had said he wanted to “see the character of players by putting them in different situations.”
Sundar’s elevation to one of the most demanding batting positions in Test cricket is exactly that test of character.
From teenage opener to lower-order survivor: Sundar’s first-class journey
Washington Sundar’s story is unlike most modern Indian all-rounders. He began his first-class career in 2016–17 as a specialist opener, facing the new ball in all five matches that season.
How Sundar performed as an opener (2016–17 to 2017–18)
Across six matches as an opener: Scores included 40 (vs Railways), 17 (vs UP), and 159 (vs Tripura) – his maiden first-class century.
But after that season, Tamil Nadu moved him down the order, partly due to squad combinations and partly because his off-spin added dual value.
The lower-middle-order years: Learning the art of rebuilding
Between 2017 and 2024, Sundar established himself as one of Tamil Nadu’s most adaptable middle-order batters, often moving across positions depending on the team’s needs. When used at No. 5, he produced scores of 13 and 65 against Andhra, followed by 2 against Delhi and 1 against Gujarat. At No. 6, he contributed 69 against Mumbai, 9 against Madhya Pradesh and 12 against Baroda. Batting at No. 7, he added further stability with knocks of 14 and 20 against Andhra, 18 against Baroda and a patient 43 against Mumbai.
The rebirth at No. 3: A turning point in Delhi, 2024
In the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, Sundar returned to the No. 3 position for Tamil Nadu and made an immediate impact. His commanding 152 off 269 balls against Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla was a reminder of his classical technique and patience. He handled both pace and spin with assurance, rotated strike smartly and picked the right moments to play his big shots.
More than just a big score, the innings revealed a version of Sundar capable of shaping an innings from the top order rather than simply rescuing it from the lower middle. It was this performance that convinced national selectors.
Sundar Runs at different batting positions in First class cricket\
2016-17 Ranji Trophy
Runs
Balls
Venue
Batting position
Against
2
32
Haryana
Opener
vs Mumbai
40
113
17
19
Bilaspur
Opener
vs Railways
14
39
10
31
Dharamsala
Opener
vs UP
DNB
0
2
Cuttack
Opener
vs MP
DNB
4
6
Rajkot
Opener
vs Bengal
DNB
2017-18 Ranji Trophy
Runs
Balls
Venue
Batting position
Against
14
41
Chennai
7th
vs Andhra
20
23
159
231
Chennai
Opener
vs Tripura
DNB
69
91
Mumbai
6th
vs Mumbai
DNB
14
12
Cuttack
7th
vs Odisha
DNB
9
21
Indore
6th
MP
DNB
12
21
Vadodara
6th
Baroda
18
79
7th
2018-19 Ranji Trophy
DNP
2019-20 Ranji Trophy
DNP
2022 Ranji Trophy
DNP
2022-23 Ranji Trophy
Runs
Balls
Venue
Batting position
Against
13
49
Coimbatore
5th
Andhra
65
118
2
17
Delhi
5th
Delhi
9 (not out)
5
3rd
2023-24 Ranji Trophy
Runs
Balls
Venue
Batting position
Against
1
4
Valsad
5th
Gujarat
6
33
3rd
43
138
Mumbai
7th
Mumbai
4
19
3rd
2024-25 Ranji trophy
Runs
Balls
Venue
Batting position
Against
152
269
Delhi
3rd
Delhi
DNB
2025-26 Ranji Trophy
DNP
How Sundar has performed at different Test batting positions
Sundar’s Test career so far has been built on flexibility — and an impressive ability to deliver under pressure, regardless of where he bats.
At No. 5, he has played just one innings but made a strong statement with an unbeaten 101, facing 206 balls and showing he can anchor an innings for long periods.
At No. 6, he has batted once for a score of 21, a brief outing that offered little room for deeper assessment.
His most substantial work has come at No. 7, where he has scored 211 runs at an average of 42.20, including two half-centuries. Many of these knocks came in difficult situations, and Sundar often steadied India after early collapses.
At No. 8, he has accumulated 269 runs at an average of 29.88, contributing several crucial rescue efforts with the lower order.
His returns at No. 9 are particularly striking: 159 runs at an average of 79.5, including two fifties. In this role, he has dominated spin and capitalised on tiring fast bowlers, showcasing his range and counterattacking ability.
Washington Sundar runs at different Batting Position in Test cricket
Span
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Avg
BF
SR
100s
50s
0s
4s
6s
5th position
2025-2025
1
1
1
101
101*
–
206
49.02
1
0
0
9
1
6th position
2024-2024
1
1
0
21
21
21
47
44.68
0
0
0
2
0
7th position
2021-2025
4
7
2
211
85*
42.2
438
48.17
0
2
1
21
5
8th position
2021-2025
9
12
3
269
96*
29.88
664
40.51
0
1
2
24
4
9th position
2024-2025
4
4
2
159
53
79.5
265
60
0
2
0
11
7
What lies ahead for Sundar is far more than a change in batting position. For him, the Eden Gardens Test will not just be another match—it will be a crossroads in his career. If he succeeds at No. 3, India could gain a rare top-order spin-bowling all-rounder, his role in the Test side may shift permanently upwards, and Tamil Nadu might also revisit where he bats in domestic cricket. If the move does not work, India may simply return to more traditional batting structures.
Either way, the Kolkata Test promises to be a defining chapter in his journey. After scoring 152 while batting at No. 3 in a Ranji Trophy match against Delhi in 2024, he summed up his aspirations succinctly: “Test cricket is the ultimate format… For me, red-ball cricket means a lot. Hopefully, I can play a lot of games and keep performing really well.”
